Peach Cake

Ingredients:

Custard

• 2 cups whole milk
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup peach jam
• 1 tsp. peach schnapps
• 1/8 tsp almond extract

Cake

• 4 cups premium flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 110 g (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tbsp. peach nectar or juice
• 3 tbsp. l. peach schnapps
• 3 large eggs
• Vegetable oil to lubricate your hands

Decoration

• 2/3 tbsp. peach nectar or juice
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• Red food coloring to tint the juice
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 24 whole cloves
• 24 small mint leaves
• Special equipment: medium brush

Preparation:

1. Custard:
   
   In a medium saucepan, combine 1.5 cups milk, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and egg yolks in a medium bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup sugar. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the bowl, stirring constantly, and then return it to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, then add the jam, schnapps, and almond extract. Let the custard cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface of the custard, and refrigerate until completely cool.
4. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 175°C, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Cookie:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, combine the sugar, milk, butter, nectar, schnapps, and eggs. Add the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix until a smooth, thick, and sticky dough forms.
6. Lightly oil your hands, scoop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, and form into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 4 cm (1.5 in) apart. Bake one baking sheet at a time until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown and the tops are set, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. While the cookies are still warm, use a sharp knife to cut an indentation about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide from the flat side (be careful not to puncture the cookies completely). Bake another baking sheet of cookies and cut out the indentations. Let the cookies cool completely.
7. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of custard into the opening of each cookie, then press two equal-sized halves together to form peaches, wiping away any excess custard that has spilled out from the seams. The cookies may not stick together very well at this point; they need to be supported against each other to hold their shape.
8. Decoration:
   
   Mix the nectar in a small bowl with the almond extract and add enough food coloring to make the nectar bright red, about 8 drops. Pour the sugar into another bowl.
9. Working with one peach at a time, tint each peach red with a brush, then roll in sugar to coat evenly. Make sure the cookies are well coated and place them in a 9x13-inch baking pan (the cookies should fit snugly to maintain their shape). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight (this allows the frosting to set and prevents the peaches from falling apart).
10. Just before serving, garnish each cookie with a clove and a sprig of mint to resemble stems.